Beltane Tips!

Why Dream Dictionaries are Mostly Garbage: Raven’s Guide to Dream Interpretation.

{Note: the following post is heavy UPG based upon over a decade of personal experience, research and observation.}

The problems with dream dictionaries is they are based on the premise of “universal symbols”. The issue with this is while dreaming does operate in the language of symbolism it’s overlooks the personal elements. Dreams speak through the languages of symbols and emotions, and these symbols are highly personal. Picture that when you dream you are putting on a play but here’s the kicker, you are everything in the play, from the other actors (in includes family members and people you know), the backdrop, the props, scenery, the animals, monsters - it is all you. Everything is a message from your subconscious to you., and it your job as the dreamer to learn the language. So how do we go about interpreting the dream? Well I’ll get to that but first things first. Dream journal. Now I know you will see pretty much every dream relate thing telling you to keep a dream journal, and their absolutely right. A dream journal is vital for your dreamwork, it is the link between worlds. By keeping a record of your dreams you are creating an open dialogue with your deeper mind. And it’s oaky if you can’t remember your dreams, even if you wake up with just a vague impression or just an emotion, even the weird dreams that seem to make no sense at all, write it all down. You are learning a new language from first hand experience and creating your own translation guide. By journaling you are encouraging and strengthening your long-term memory, it just takes dedication.You will begin to notice the pattern and reoccurring themes in your dreams when you go back and review your entries. So how do we interpret our dreams? This my 4 step process: 

First Step - How do you feel over all in the dream? 

Second Step - What parts of the dream stood out to you the most?

Third Step - What do these things personally represent to me?

Fourth Step - How do these things make me feel?

Like I mentioned above everything in your dream is a representation of some part of you, and how you feel about it is a vital part of understanding what it means. Just remember nothing is what it seem, nothing is literal. It is important that you take your time when working with a dream, you can carefully and attentively peeling away the layers to expose the core, and thus the meaning of the dream and it’s message. And don’t feel discouraged if you don’t get it write away, some dreams takes days, weeks, months, even years to understand, which is another reason why keeping a dream journal is so important so that you can keep revisiting these dreams as you grow and changes as a person. 

Daily Witchiness

This is for all the witches who don’t feel like they are doing enough. You don’t need to enchant things, cast spells all the time, or write sigils everywhere to be doing witchy stuff! You are witching all over the place! You got witch everywhere!

Jewelry: this is the easiest witchy thing to do, in my opinion, because it’s so low energy. You can wear different crystals and minerals, seashells, pentacles, crosses, or other symbols pertaining to your beliefs. Pendants, bracelets, or rings are usually the most popular way. Whether you enchant them or not is up to you. I’ll set my bracelets and mala beads in full moonlight but I haven’t gotten around to enchanting anything yet. I do wear certain gems to correspond to my needs. If you study palmistry, you’ll know that wearing certain rings on certain fingers work with different energies. There is so much to this category.

Stirring anything: your food when cooking, the cereal in your bowl, your coffee/tea, the straw in your cocktail, the direction of your stirring is either conjuring up happiness and health (clockwise), or you’re banishing negativity (counterclockwise). Focus on your stirring and set some intentions for the day. Depending on your drink and if you chant a few words, it could turn into a spell 😉

Tea Drinking: I love a hot tea in the evening. Some witches correspond different herb and flavors to their needs. Some like to drink kombucha throughout the day. Some make sun tea. There are so many ways you can direct your energy with tea. Not to mention teas helpful for divination, and tasseography (divination through tea leaf readings).

Aromatherapy: Whether with fresh flowers and herbs, incense, candles, or an essential oil diffuser, it’s not that hard to enjoy some daily aromatherapy. You will experience benefits that include reducing anxiety, easing depression, boosting energy levels, speeding up the healing process, eliminating headaches, boosting cognitive performance, inducing sleep, strengthening the immune system, reducing pain, improving digestion, or increasing circulation. To pair aromatherapy with your jewelry, you can get a pendant oil diffuser or a bracelet with some lava beads to hold some skin safe essential oils.

Walking barefoot: Earthing/Grounding connects you to the earth’s free flowing electrons. I am unable to do this because I live in the city and there is too much broken glasses and the danger of needles. But when I go camping, I definitely run around barefoot like I did growing up on the farm. It’s so energizing!

Humming: “Humming combined with breath is a powerful way to release and let go of stuck energy and tension.  Great for clearing and refreshing your throat chakra” It also improves your sinus health! Humming slows down your breathing rate significantly.  Research shows, we normally breathe 15-17 times in a minute but with humming you can bring it down to 4-6 a minute which helps to slow down your heart rate and brings down your stress level. I like to hum when I’m cooking, driving, and I’ll hum along to the music at work. I tend to just hum the base notes so they are long, in rhythm, and in harmony with the tune. Lots of witches will hum during circle casting or while in the kitchen to help raise the energies.

Anything involving nature: going on a walk, watering your plants, stopping to admire some flowers, hanging out with animals, watching the sunset/sunrise, stargazing, etc. are all witchy and connecting yourself to Mother Gaia and/or the Cosmos.

Listening to Music: It’s part of the Quadrivial Arts, the Crossroads, the very core from which all paths of knowledge cross.

Working with numbers: Numbers and geometry are also part of the Quadrivial Arts, so whether you are an accountant, a cashier, or just doing your homework, you are doing some witchy stuff.

Your daily horoscope: Astrology is the fourth part of the Crossroads of the Quadrivial Arts. All four are the basis of the skeleton key to unlocking all spell craft. But checking in to your personal journey in the cosmos is a helpful guide along your journey through the universe.

Checking the weather: yes, it’s witchy. Knowing what is going on with the climate around you is an act of attunement to nature. And then you know how to coordinate your witchy outfit for the day.

Masterpost of Luck Spells ☘️

Spell List:

🍀 “Lucky Waters” Bath Spell

🍀 Luck and Money Powder

🍀 “felix felis” Drink

🍀 Vodka Luck Spell

🍀 Luck Spell Jar

🍀 The Ultimate Luck Spell Bottle

🍀 Ending Bad Luck Spell

🍀 Simple Lucky Penny Enchantment

🍀 Simple Luck Spell

🍀 Luck and Fortune Spell Jar

🍀 Prosperity and Luck Salt

🍀 A Spell for Good Luck

🍀 Lucky Tea

🍀 Luck Spell

Herb Correspondences:

allspice

angelica

cinnamon

clover

frankincense

holly

ivy

myrrh

nutmeg

olive

orange peel

rosehips

rosemary

sandalwood

thyme

50  witchy things to do in quarantine:

cleanse your house thoroughly

banish any unwanted energies

put some time into making solid wards

rearrange/cleanse your altar space and tools

take inventory of your supplies

make new batches of sun and moon waters (and any salts, tinctures, etc. you like to keep on hand)

start a dream journal now that you have the time

find a witchy article or book on somewhere like JSTOR and learn something new (and tell other witches about it)

try kitchen witchcraft if you haven’t already

create a new sigil or charm to display in your house

bless or add a glamor to an item in your home (ex. adding a glamour to a centerpiece so the food always looks good or to the welcome mat so people don’t notice the messes so much)

send a blessing to those who are helping (and donations, if you can)

or perhaps jinx, hex, curse, or bind those doing harm

set aside time each day to meditate– it’s the perfect time to start such a habit!

leave an offering to or commune with a spirit or deity you have not in a while due to time constraints

try a type of magic you are interested in, but struggle with

practice with your divination tools to get better at them

update your grimoire with things you’ve been meaning to write down

make a crystal grid of your own

make your own pendulum and board

make your own oracle deck

using the items you already have, make a new powder, oil, or tincture for an intent you have often

make a sigil and set it as your phone background

paint your phone case with a sigil, a symbol, or a color coordinated with your intention (use acrylic and then coat it in mod podge!)

create a new talisman

write a hymn or incantation

create a playlist to listen to during witchy things

buy a service from a local witch if you can afford to– many are in need of money right now, especially

draw, paint, or sculpt a deity you worship and add it to your altar

use notecards to write down and categorize things you have for each basic intention (ex. write down all of the herbs, crystals, etc. you have for love, for money, etc. so you never have to sit and think hard on what you can use– it’s a quick-reference for yourself)

write down your favorite spells or ones that you want to try

in your school or work space, add a sigil or charm for productivity, focus, or stress-relief

make a new sachet for sleep

contact a witch friend and facetime them to meditate together or do readings for each other. it’s important to stay in touch!

make shoebox, on-the-go, or pocket altars so when quarantine is over you’ll keep your practice up in daily life

write yourself affirmation cards or letters to open in a month/year/whenever you like

make your own runes

enchant a piece of clothing or jewelry for stress-relief or motivation

learn more about your own natal chart

transfer the info you look for in your grimoire most often to make a quick-reference book of the most important pages for yourself

learn about the plants and trees around your house and their properties

sit in your yard for a little while and enjoy nature and it’s sounds

open your curtains and blinds and windows to let in a little fresh air and sun into the house

start journaling– being in-tune with yourself will improve you as a witch

write letters or send care packages to witchy friends with things like bay leaves, sigils, and kind notes

on your next grocery run, grab some seeds or plants and plant whatever is in season where you are. try something that can grow in your windowsill, if you’re new! this is a way to have sustainable ingredients for your witchcraft that has no pesticides and is cultivated with your energy.

alternatively, get flower seeds and plant them around your home. this will also give you a reason to step outside to tend to them from time to time.

learn a new song or hymn and perform it as an offering to your deity of choice

make a list of this year’s dates of full and new moons, transits, and holidays and mark them in your calendar or put them in the notes of your phone

take the time to monitor your own energy and take care of yourself <3

Meditate your ass off

What is meditation basically? Lots of people will tell you that meditation is supposed to calm your mind. 

But what will really meditation do to you is that you’ll be able to CONTROL your mind. Or at least you’ll be better at it, which is something huge, believe me. And controlled mind is a big tool in magic work.

There are 3 basic types of meditation.

1. Just observe your mind. This is something that you can do when you have time. Sit on your couch, lie on your bed - whatever feels good for you - that’s the key. Close your eyes and just try to observe what’s your mind up to. The important thing is - don’t try to think. Just let your mind exist. It almost feels like falling asleep, actually. Once you try it you can feel how freeing that moment is. 

2. Be aware. Yes, awareness of your body and later, of what is happening around you. For example, try to be aware of your breathing. Focus on how you breathe. Just feel how your nostrils feel the air coming in and out. Tap on your forehead with your finger and feel the spot. Be aware of the sensation. Focus on it like nothing else exist. Just the sensation you feel on your skin. 

3. Focus on one thing and one thing only with your mind. As I always say, start with something easy like an orange. Orange is easy to imagine in your mind. Picture its structure. Picture its taste on your tongue. Picture how it feels when you touch it. Basically, put together a picture of everything you know about the orange and keep mind picturing it. Feel the orange for as long as possible. If you lose your concentration, it’s alright and you did nothing wrong - we’re humans, not robots. Just try again :)

Questions you may ask:

Q: What if I don’t have time for meditation? I’m busy with school and work! 

A: Well, of course we live in a world that needs our presence. And number 2 and 3 can be done while you wait for the bus, while you’re stuck in traffic jam, and so on. Don’t lose hope, just because you’re busy :)

Q: Is it really necessary to meditate? 

A: Nothing is necessary, it’s your choice. But the truth is, if you choose to meditate, you’ll be able to control your mind better and it’s not only helpful in magic work. It can help you if you have trouble sleeping and so on. Helps with anxiety, too, btw. 

Q: How does meditation help control mind?

A: Number 1 can teach you: 

- how to be aware of what’s going on in your mind on the level you can’t reach yet. Later, you can use this new entry to your mind and analyze your psyche better. 

- how to not fall asleep when you try astral traveling before going to bed.

- lucid dreaming :)

  Number 2 can teach you:

- how to be aware of what your body wants and needs even though it can’t speak.

- how to be aware of what is happening around you in a crowd - kind of good skill to have these days, sadly.

- how to feel if something paranormal is happening around you.

  Number 3 can teach you:

- how to use your willpower as a tool for your magic work.

- power of good imagination raises IQ and plain common sense. 

Remember that if something isn’t going well for the first time you try, it doesn’t mean it’ll be like this forever. Things can better with practice. So don’t worry. We were all lame shits when we started. 

Enjoy :)

books on chaos magic: once you complete your sigil, it’s very important that you forget about it.

me, a very absentminded witch: my time to shine has frickin come

Crystal Shapes + Uses

The shape of a crystal has a large impact on the crystals power. Knowing the shapes will help you utilize the crystal power to the best their abilities. 

Tumbled

gentle, even energy

Raw

strong, sporadic energy

Sphere

even energy all around, scrying tool

Square

grounding, meditating 

Pyramid

manifestation, focused energy, removes blockages

Cluster

radiates everywhere, charges crystals

Geode

grounding, internal energy

Abundance

(similar to cluster, but it has a more singular high point. This is a poor picture, but I couldn’t find a good one. Just pretend that second point isn’t there.) 

attack, wealth, prosperity

Egg

healing, fertility, balance

Point

concentrates and directs energy

Generator

(similar to point, but it’s more stout.)

has 6 faces. amplifies energy

Twin

balance

Double-Ended

absorbs and emits energy, transfers negative to positive

Palm

(flat and smooth)

grounding, worry stone, reduce stress

Isis

feminine energy

Druzy

(similar to geode. Crystals are not enclosed, but rather on a flat outer surface)

charging, relaxation, harmony

What Native people say about the use of sage: you can use sage, but you cannot smudge as nothing you are doing (waving sage around) is actually smudging. Smudging is a ceremony and you are, we promise, not smudging. Please buy sage from either us, or someone who sources the sage from us. White sage may not be considered endangered by the US government but corperate sourcing is making it difficult for us to source sage for our own religious purposes. Let alone to sell it.

What white people hear: never use sage ever, don’t ever buy it, don’t own it, don’t even look at it.

Look, y’all. There’s a couple of facets to my talk today.

1) Yes! You can buy sage! You really, truly can! Buy it from either native sellers (go to a powwow! Eat our food, buy our stuff, watch some dancing!) Or buy it from a seller who sources the sage from native people. Pick one. And no, buying it from 5 Below doesn’t count.

2) you CANNOT smudge. This isn’t just you “shouldn’t”— this is a YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF SMUDGING. Waving a sage stick around your doorways IS NOT SMUDGING. It is smoke clensing. Smudging, depending on the tradition and tribe, could easily have dancing and drums involved. You, as a white person, do not have the cultural BACKGROUND to even know how it works. At all. Period.

3) please, for FUCKS SAKE, stop making posts here on tumblr where you tell other white people about cultural appropriation and what they can and cannot do. Please stop, your license has been revoked because none of you bother to get the facts right. We native people are FULLY CAPABLE OF DOING IT OURSELVES. Consider instead: a) reblogging our posts where we talk about it! We’re here! We have made posts!! b) Making a post that states what we said and then LINKS BACK TO US. Screenshot with a link if you must. Stop centering your own voices in these conversations. You are already centered in everything, stop centering yourselves in a native space.

I’m tired of this nonsense, y’all.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk ™

A Hearth Witch's Security System - Boundaries and Entrances

A Disclaimer: I am one person and my opinions (which I have in abundance) may not reflect the opinions of other witches, in general, or other people who call themselves hearth witches. In fact, they probably won’t, because I’m an asshole. I have a bizarre sense of humor that doesn’t convey well in text and I rant about shit I don’t like. A lot. If you don’t think you can handle that, maybe don’t read anything I write. Ever.

Protecting the Home, Protecting the Family 

Let me preface this post by saying, I am exhausted, so probably nothing I write here is going to make sense to anyone but me. Also, that has just been my luck lately, but we’ll see how it goes anyway. 

If you read my blog, you’ll know that I do a lot of stuff to protect my railroad cottage. Not just because I live here, but because I literally use my house as a symbol of my household and family. So, in a witchcraft sense, protecting my home is protecting my family. And, because that’s the witchcraft I write about most on my blog, that’s what I get a lot of questions about (spirit work aside, because that’s what I get the most questions about). 

So, this post is going to be about various ways to protect your home and (hopefully) prevent nasties from creeping inside. 

Rule Number One: Keep a Clean House

I know that sounds really boring. I know you’re like, “Emma, that is not witchcraft. Those are chores and I hate you. Did my mom put you up to this?” But, actually, there are two good reasons that’s Rule No. 1: 

It’s not easy to cleanse a house that isn’t clean. Part of protecting your home is being prepared to go into battle for it. Now, witchcraft is known to make a house a little cluttered. If you’ve got ribbons falling out of your sewing box and stockpiles of tea on your counter. Don’t worry. You’re normal. But it’s possible for a house to be both cluttered and clean.

Cleaning a house regularly is a fantastic way to magically take ownership of the property—which I’ve discussed here. 

Obviously, I’m not saying you’re house has to look like something from Good Housekeeping. My own cottage has four rooms and is home to more than four people. It’ll never be as neat as we want it to be. But’s it’s clean. And that’s what matters. 

Rule Number Two: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors 

I’m not talking about real fences—but those too. I’m talking more about magical boundaries. Like a witch fence. This can be set up in or outside of ritual, using a real fence, other objects, or using visualization. 

So, let’s talk about putting up this fence, huh? The method I use  is, of course, the “Gross Method”—and, by gross, I mean no one wants to do it or talk to me they’ve found out I’ve done it. It uses a pre-existing fence to create the boundary, which means that what you’re actually doing with this method is enchanting or reinforcing your standing fence. It’s supa supa easy. Like really, children could do if you let them. Only probably don’t let them because it’s probably a health hazard. 

For this method, you will need 1) a fence, 2) something to mark your stake-points with, 3) some bodily fluids—i.e. menstrual blood, piss, spit, sexual fluids, etc., 4) your bad ol’ self

Step One: Walk around your property and decide where you want your stake-points to be. I refer to them as stake-points because what you’re actually doing is kind of like putting up a magical tent rather than a fence. These are the strength points of your enchanted fence. You’ll want at least one in every corner of the existing fence. Mark these places. You can do this by scratching or painting on the fence, tying something to the fence, or sticking something in the ground there. In my case, I used the support posts for my pre-existing fence as my stake points, so I didn’t have to mark them because I knew where they were. 

Step Two: Collect fluids. (Unless you’re using spit, which you have.) You can water any of these fluids down if you need to—except probably spit. 

Step Three: Using a paintbrush, herbs, your hands, a spray bottle, or whatever, apply the fluid to the INSIDE of your fence where your neighbors won’t be touching. As you do, visualize the stake-points linking together as they’re placed. I tend to visualize something like a barbed-wire fence going up between my stake-points, but white light works too if you’re into that. **If you’re going to forget, mark where you started.

Step Four: When you’ve completed the fence and connected your last stake-point to your starting point, visualize the tent going up. In my visualization this is something like a deer-skin version of a Circus tent, but I am a legit freak of nature, so your probably wont be. 

Now, you can be done here, or you can write something to say to tweak the spell to your style. If you have Property Spirits that you work with, you may also want to ask them to guard the fence at this point. 

Rule Number Three: Gardening = Ammo 

While we’re still outdoors, let’s talk about ‘defensive gardening’. One of my favorite things to do with my garden is to reinforce my boundaries by planting protective herbs. Not only does it add punch to your enchanted fence, but it provides ammunition should you need to banish something later. 

This can be done directly in the ground, in hanging planters at/on your stake-points, in windowboxes, in planters by the door, etc. 

Some good protective herbs to start are:

Aloe

Rosemary 

Roses (thorny for offensive magic, rosehips for defensive magic)

Mint

Lavender

You may also want to include banishing plants

Garlic 

Sage 

Sweeatgrass

Thyme

As well as flowers, trees, and shrubs to the same effect (like holly, cedar, etc). 

Rule Number Four: Wards/Wardings Aren’t As Hard As They Sound

Come with me to the porch and let’s talk about wards! *runs to the porch, points at wards* Wards are awesome! There are so many different kinds and they can range anywhere from decorative to practical to invisible! 

When you’re warding your doorway, like a lot of witchcraft, intent is super important. Really, it doesn’t matter what kind of ward you use as long as you have the intent. And, with the bucket load of types of warding, you should be able to find one to fit your needs.

My favorite way to ward a door or window is with a decorative ward, which was something we did in my family for years and then I finally saw it outside of our house in an Ellen Dugan book (which I bought JUST for that reason). This one isn’t mine, but it’s a good example of one:

These hang above doors and windows to ward off evil, ill will, etc. and can be made out of dried flowers and herbs (like above), fabric (such as a warding banner), carved into the wood above a door, or any other way you prefer. 

I usually go with the pictured method. Typically I

Start with a base. For year-round wards I like to use wheat and dried grass (which you can find at a craft store—but not Hobby Lobby, because they areevil). 

I face half of my base one way and half the opposite way—so that the cut ends are together and you have the awesome wheat/grass/evergreen ends facing out. Over lap the two halves a few inches and tie them together. (I usually use twine for that, but you can use whatever you like.

Next, go you your second layer, which is the actual warding part. For this, my favorite things to use are lavender (which grows wild in the neighborhood I work in), and rosemary. But there are plenty of other possibilities, too—sunflowers, rose, baby’s breath, holly, pine, mint, etc. These can be tucked into the tie you’ve already made, glued on, or tied on separately. 

To finish mine off, I usually add a bell, to symbolize a signal, which sort of makes the ward into an alarm. Sometimes, when trouble is around, I’ll hear a bell even though it’s not ringing. Sometimes it actually rings. 

The ward can go above your door, window, fireplace, or anywhere else you feel you want to hang it. 

Of course, there are a lot of other ways to ward your doors and windows. 

With energy and visualization. 

With water or oil (drawing protective symbols on them with the water/oil) 

Warding Wreaths

Other hangings (like photographs of deities or saints, Brigid’s crosses, horseshoes, strings or bells)

Salt lines and brickdust (I tend to mix these together)

Hanging herbs by or above the door (I typically dry my herbs next to the door so I never have a shortage of door-based protection)

Whatever

The most important thing is that you make your intent clear. Whether you want to ward off evil spirits or unwelcome mortal visitors, make your intent clear. If you need to do this by putting your warding into a big ritual, do so. If you need to activate your wards out loud, go ahead. 

Rule Number Five: Everything You Need to Strengthen Your Protection is On/In You

Spit

Urine

Menstrual Blood

Sexual Fluids 

Sweat 

and so on

These are all totally useful supplies for witchcraft in general and for protection in specific. A touch of one of these on a window, door, doorknob, etc is fantastic for strengthening a boundary and clearly marking your territory to anyone who might wander inside. Surface cleaning with remove germs, but not the intent or the warning.

Rule Number Six: Never Let an Outsider Make Your Forget Whose House This Is

The conviction of ownership is pretty important to home protection. Don’t let an intruder scare you into believing that they own your home. They don’t. It’s yours. The people inside it are yours. 

🌊 Water Magic 🌊

Water is a powerful tool in witchcraft. Whether you collect it from the weather, the ocean, a lake, or from your own sink or shower, it can be used in many spells and incantations and has strong magical properties… 

–

Water Correspondences

🌊 Water: love, banishing, beauty, calm, change, compassion, creativity, emotions, femininity, fertility, flexibility, healing, intuition, meditation, psychic powers, purification, dreams, sensitivity, sadness, life

🌊 Ocean / sea water: vastness, fear, power, life, protection

🌊 Rain water: growth, power, regeneration, rebirth

🌊 Storm water: clarity, strength, purification, banishing

🌊 Lake water: abundance, unknown, wealth, spirituality

🌊 Swamp water: disease, invisibility, connection, links

🌊 River water: charging, energy, movement, power

🌊 Pond water: limitations, silence, conjuration, immobility

🌊 Melted ice: creativity, growth, harmony, motivation, purification

🌊 Melted hail: pain, curse, bad intentions, anger

🌊 Melted snow: change, balance, endings, healing, power, purity

🌊 Morning dew: love, charm, fertility, sensitivity

– 

✨ Spells & Magic

- Practice daily energy cleansing under the shower.  - If you have a bathtub, create bath spells to give you power. - Open windows when it rains.  - Make sprays with specific herbs for your home or your bed.  - Listen to waterfall / rain playlists.  - Charge jars of water under the moonlight to collect moon water. - Dress with blue colors to use the power of water.